How They Rise
by AlexandriteSky
Summary: Bodyguard to an exiled princess, Sasuke has survived by trusting only himself. When necessity calls for them to enlist the help of jack-of-all-trades Naruto Uzumaki, can Sasuke survive the blonde's eccentric personality long enough to help his charge win back her city?Together, the travelers embark on a journey of laughter and sorrow...with some other things in between.AU SasuxNaru
1. Chapter 1

Warning: This story is yaoi, meaning boyxboy love. Don't waste your time reading past this sentence if you thought it was anything but that.

AlexandriteSky: This is the newest crazy plot bunny of mine, and I had to write it down before I lost it! I hope that it turns out as exciting as it seems in my head.

AlexandriteSky: There is extremely mature material in this chapter; I may decide to censor it later, but for now I would not recommend it for anybody who doesn't want to read moments of smut. You have been warned, I will ignore any flames I receive! If you no likey, don't read okies? Thanks!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Chapter 1

"_FATHER!"_

_Strong arms held Sakura back as she struggled desperately, wide emerald eyes focused on the image of her father's form as he kneeled at Madara's feet, bleeding profusely from his chest where Madara had stabbed his sword cleanly through. _

"_What a miserable sight you are, Haruno." The evil man chuckled. "You once told me you would rather die a thousand deaths than grovel at an enemy's feet; yet here you are, kneeling in front of the man who just took everything away from you."_

"_LET HIM GO!" Sakura screamed, thrashing against the grip that restrained her. Tears streamed down the side of her cheek but the girl barely noticed through her desperation; she clawed and kicked in an attempt to wrestle her way out of her constraints but soon found it to be absolutely fruitless. "SASUKE!" she sobbed, calling for her best friend and loyal bodyguard._

_The raven-haired boy remained trapped in the hallway outside of the throne room, his path blocked by a face that shook him to the core. He had come running at the first sounds of distress, only to come face-to-face with his older brother, Itachi Uchiha. _

_Sasuke knew he was no match. Itachi was the epitome of a fighting prodigy; at Sasuke's age, he had already had hordes of medals piling up for his valiant deeds on the battlefield, and two years later he had been the youngest man to ever be given the title of general. _

_Never before had Sasuke felt so powerless._

"_Please." Sakura whimpered, her eyes glued to her father's dying form. "Please stop."_

"_Sorry princess." Madara smiled pleasantly, eyes arching. "I can't do that."_

_He grabbed the dying man by his hair and lifted his chin up, baring the man's neck so that it was easily accessible by blade. Sasuke watched from the doorway, his teeth biting into his lower lip so hard that blood trickled down his chin. _

"_Damn it!" he cursed, smashing his fist into the wall. "Why, Itachi!?" he asked, almost pleadingly in his rage. "How can you betray the man that took us in when we had nowhere else to go and raised us as one of his own!?"_

"_One of his own?" Itachi repeated mockingly. "Strange. I don't remember the tradition of making family members into servants."_

"_He was good to us." Sasuke spat, drawing his sword. "He gave us a home. Prepare yourself, brother."_

"_You're too late, brother." Itachi replied simply, indifferent to his younger brother's anger. "Nothing can stop us now."_

_Time seemed to move in slow motion as Madara readied his blade, his victim barely breathing as the king dangled one inch off of the ground. Sakura's lips opened and closed but no sounds escaped them; she stared in sheer terror at the sight of her father dangling helplessly from Madara's grasp, a silent scream resonated from parted lips._

"_Don't look."_

_A hand covered her eyes just as Madara lifted his blade, and she saw nothing but darkness as a loud thud echoed in the room. Sasuke charged forward in pure fury only to be effortlessly knocked away by his brother, who managed to fend off his attacks without taking a single step while deflecting his blows like annoying insects._

_When Sakura's vision returned, she was greeted by the sight of her father's body on the ground, though his head was still in Madara's hands._

_She screamed._

_There were no words, only raw grief in her voice as she wailed her loss to the sky. _

"_Three years." Madara smiled, briefly glancing at Sasuke to make sure the raven-haired boy was listening to him as well. "That is how much time you have until my men come after you as well. Until then, why don't the two of you try growing a little bit stronger?"_

"_Oh." He added pleasantly. "And I wouldn't advise trying to come back into the city during that time."_

_Momentarily mad with grief, Sakura did nothing but shiver as she was dragged out of the room. Sasuke rushed to her side but no words could reach her; trapped in a grief-stricken state, the girl could do nothing but stare straight ahead of her as if replaying the scene of her father's death. _

"_Grow stronger, little brother." Itachi spoke to Sasuke's retreating back, mimicking Madara's words from earlier. _

_The raven-haired boy glared back, his eyes drenched with hatred as he carried Sakura in his arms. _

"_I will." He replied. "And when I come back, I'll kill you for what you've done."_

_Itachi chuckled. "We'll see about that."_

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"Kakashi, there better be an _extremely_ important reason why you told us to meet you in a place like this." Sasuke warned evenly as Sakura blushed at his side. "Otherwise, needless to say, I will kill you in the slowest and most painful way possible. I swear it."

"Now now, let's not jump to any conclusions." Kakashi laughed nervously, holding up his hands as if to prove his innocence. "Threatening my life is going a tad bit too far, don't you think?"

Sasuke didn't think so at all. The trio was currently standing in front of the flashiest brothel in town, thanks to the note Kakashi had sent them earlier detailing the location of their meeting. Though Sasuke had learned long ago never to expect the ordinary from the scarecrow, there were still times where the raven-haired man genuinely wanted to bash his face in and leave him to die in front of a horde of stampeding elephants.

It wasn't his fault Kakashi had a habit of thinking with the lower half of his body instead of the half that had a brain.

"Just hear me out." The silver-haired man grinned, and Sasuke begrudgingly complied. As much as he hated to admit it, Kakashi had been a vital help for the past three years. After escaping with them from Tanto city, the older man had assumed responsibility over the two and had helped plan the scheme to take their city back.

"Remember how I said we needed a guide to Byakugan City?" Kakashi asked, his one visible eye arching upwards.

"Hn." Sasuke grunted reluctantly. He had been completely against bringing in an outsider at first, but a sharp lecture from Kakashi and a night of careful contemplation had changed his mind. With the three years that Madara had given them coming to an end, the party now intended to journey to Byakugan City to request help from Sakura's uncle, Hizashi Hyuuga. The relationship between the Hyuuga family and the Haruno family had always been close, and their family stood as the one last hope for Sakura to reclaim her kingdom.

The difficulty of the task began right away, however. Currently, they were in Konoha City, a small trading city that sat on the outskirts south of Tanto city; the city that Sakura's family once ruled over. It was at least a month's journey to Byakugan City, and on the way they were required to travel through the Lost Forest and Roaring Mountains. Of course, there were roads that did not lead through such treacherous places, but those were used solely for commerce and were watched carefully at all times. In order to escape Madara's eyes, there was no choice but to sneak around in the shadows.

These areas were infamous for their danger, and travelers usually avoided crossing these barriers like the plague. Only with an experienced guide would they possibly be able to travel to Byakugan City in one peace, though Sasuke still remained unbearable anxious about traveling with a stranger.

After their exile, Madara had kept his word about not sending his men after them; however, that did not mean the evil man did not have other schemes. He had put a price on Sakura's head, naming her a traitor of the city and offering a large sum for anybody who could capture her. Luckily, Sakura had matured an astounding amount in both body and mind the past three years, and she had become unrecognizable to normal civilians.

"Our guide can be found in here?" Sakura asked, a slight blush powdering her cheeks as she determinedly kept her gaze on the raunchy building.

"I was told that we could find him here on most nights." Kakashi replied easily, obviously taking great pleasure out of the situation. Though Sakura and Sasuke were both eighteen now and were desperately trying to keep their embarrassment contained, their faces practically radiated with discomfort as they stood awkwardly in front of the entrance.

"I...see." Sakura replied.

"We could always wait until tomorrow morning." Kakashi offered.

"No." Sakura shook her head, eyes steely with determination. "Let's go."

She strode inside without hesitation, leaving Kakashi with a gentle smile on his face as Sasuke raced after her. After the death of her parents and the loss of her kingdom, Sakura had remained in a comatose state for more than two weeks. Kakashi had initially thought that all was lost, only to find her conscious one day with a blade in her hand. Without a word, Sakura had chopped off her long, silky hair, and she stood to face Kakashi with fiery resolution burning in her eyes.

"_Kakashi. I want my city back_."

Kakashi had never been so proud.

"Welcome!" a heavily-made up woman greeted the moment they stepped through the door. She came rushing forward, her steps delicate and constrained by the tight kimono she wore. "My, what a beautiful group." She crooned, shamelessly looking each of them up and down. "What can I do for you fellas tonight?"

She leaned closer to Kakashi and lazily trailed a finger up and down his chest with a sultry look on her face. "Perhaps a bit of…special service?"

"We're actually here on a different kind of business." Kakashi smiled, caressing her cheek. The lady blushed at the gesture and glanced up at him with a curious look in her eyes. "Is there a…Naruto Uzumaki here tonight?"

"Ah." The woman said, understanding dawning on her face. "I see! Mister Uzumaki is indeed here at the moment, but he might be a bit…preoccupied."

"No matter." Kakashi replied, pulling out a golden coin from behind his ear. "Is a pretty penny worth having such a beautiful woman as you show us to his room?"

"Oh my, you sure know how to win over a lady." The woman laughed, taking the coin and tucking it into her bosom. "Come with me."

Sakura and Sasuke exchanged glances as the woman lead them down a series of hallways, each housing numerous rooms that were hidden by sliding doors. The musky scent of sex and the loud screams of pleasure filled the air, and both teens felt exceptionally out of place as Kakashi continued to pass easy banter back and forth with the woman from before.

It didn't surprise them that Kakashi was good at this. His perverted nature had been known since long ago, and Sasuke had lost track of the times he had been forced to drag the man out of a brothel similar to this one.

"Here we are." The woman stopped at last in front of one of the rooms.

"Thank you, darling." Kakashi leaned forward to kiss her on the cheek.

"Drop by when you have time for…other business as well." The woman winked at him seductively before leaving. Kakashi waited until she turned the corner to turn his gaze to his two younger companions, and the silver-haired man laughed out loud at the obvious discomfort written on both of their faces.

"Well," he began, trying to regain his composure as both teens glared at him venomously. "Shall we?"

"Let's get this over with." Sasuke grumbled, reaching for the door. Kakashi's face changed from amusement to panic and he attempted to speak a warning, but it was too late.

Sasuke slammed open the screen door, only to be inches away from the sight of a blonde lying naked on the ground, his ass raised in the air and being mercilessly pounded into by an older man. The blonde was writhing in ecstasy, saliva dripping from his mouth and mixing with the bodily fluids on the ground as he mewed and panted his arousal to his partner.

Frozen, Sasuke could do nothing but watch for a moment, onyx eyes unable to take themselves away from the lewd sight in front of him. Both were still unaware of their visitors and continued to moan, the older man gripping the blonde's ass tightly as he drilled into the blonde at a quick and steady pace.

"Nnnnnn." The blonde whined, raising his ass for easier access. "Harder."

"What a slutty pussy you have." The man growled, obeying the request. He lifted the blonde up so that he was sitting in his lab and continued to fuck him as the blonde hissed in pleasure. Only then did the blonde become aware of their visitors, and Sasuke almost fell backwards as sparkling cerulean eyes suddenly connected with his.

For a moment the blonde froze, his eyes wide. His partner's hands firmly kept his legs spread wide open, and from their angle the trio had a clear view of the other man's cock filling the blonde man to the hilt and the messy fluids that squirted out of the blonde each time his partner filled him again. It was obvious that this was not their first, or even second round; the blonde was already covered head to toe with cum, and some of it still pooled at where he and his partner remained connected.

"I…wasn't expecting a visit." The blonde panted, though he didn't move. "You do know I have an office that's open during the day, right?"

His eyes met Sasuke's again, and the raven-haired immediately tore his gaze away and refocused it to his side.

This was far too much out of his comfort zone.

"There was no time." Kakashi replied, and for the first time Sasuke envied his ability to deal with any kind of situation. At his side Sakura's face was bright red, and she subconsciously hid her face in Sasuke's shoulder though she still peered over it from time to time with irresistible curiosity. The smell of sex and sweat was beginning to waft out of the room, and Sasuke wanted nothing more than to leave this horrid place.

The blonde gazed at Sakura for a few moments before returning his gaze to Kakashi. "Well, if you would like, you can wait in the next room for a few minutes. Of course, you're free to watch as well, if that's what you're into." He stated nonchalantly. Sasuke practically turned green and rushed away, Sakura right at his heels. Kakashi merely tipped his head and followed, shutting the door behind him as to return the blonde's privacy.

"That…was interesting." The blonde's partner spoke.

"Yeah it was." The blonde replied, cerulean eyes sparkling mischievously. "Shall we continue where we left off?"

"Technically, we never left each other." His partner replied, grinding his hips so that the blonde could feel how his cock was still inside of him.

"Good point." The blonde laughed, giving the door one final glance.

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"You were supposed to wait." Kakashi sighed, though his single visible eye was practically dancing with mirth as he watched the two miserable teenagers in the room. Sakura was handling the situation a bit better, due to the fact that it was Sasuke who had first opened the door and not her. "Did you think they were playing checkers in there or something?"

"I wasn't thinking." Sasuke snapped, his cheeks still flushed. "I just wanted to get it over with."

"Well, no harm done." The older man laughed, ruffling his hair. "It's not as if he seemed to mind."

"He's an indecent person." The raven-haired man slapped Kakashi's hand away. "Do you really want a guy like _him_ traveling with us? His skill seems to be how wide he can open his legs."

"We did interrupt him unannounced, though." Sakura spoke up, though her face was similarly flushed. "That was rude of us."

"Ah." Sasuke turned. "I apologize."

"I'm just glad you were the one who did it." Sakura laughed, punching him in the arm. "I had half the mind to do it myself. Only somebody who's as experienced with places like this as you, Kakashi, would have been able to think ahead like that."

"Is that so…" Kakashi replied, secretly still laughing at the two in his head. It was cute, yet a little bit sad how innocent the two were about things that would have been the norm for regular kids their age. For the past three years the two of them had focused on nothing but getting stronger, causing them to miss the normal transition that awkward teenagers went through.

"Still, I want you to explain yourself, Kakashi." Sasuke stated, turning towards the older man. "Why him? There has to be other potential guides in this city."

"He was recommended to me by someone I trust." The older man answered, crossing his legs. "I was told that if we could manage to come to an agreement with this man, he would indubitably get us to where we wanted to go. The man advertises himself as a jack of all trades; it would be beneficial to have a character with various skills on our journey."

"A jack of all trades?" Sasuke snorted. "That means he's okay at everything and good at nothing."

"That may be so." Kakashi replied, his brows furrowed. "But as long as he can get us to Byakugan City, everything else is an added bonus."

"I still don't think we can trust him." The raven-haired man turned away.

The new few minutes passed in silence as Kakashi thought back to what Iruka had told him at their earlier meeting.

"_You want a guide that will take you to Byakugan City without turning you in?" Iruka repeated with a troubled expression. "That's a tough one, Kakashi."_

"_I know." The silver-haired man sighed, covering his eye warily with the back of his hand. "But these kids are relying on me. That's why I came to you."_

"_Hmmm…." Iruka mused, falling silent. "Actually, there might be a guy who would be willing to help you out…for the right price, of course."_

"_Prices can always be negotiated." Kakashi leaned forward excitedly. "My only concern is whether or not he can take us to Byakugan City."_

"_Here." Iruka scribbled on a piece of paper and slid it across the table to Kakashi. "This is his office's address. His name is Naruto Uzumaki; he's a jack of all trades, but I know for a fact that he can navigate as good as any other guide."_

"_And if he finds out who Sakura is?"_

"_As long as you form a contract with him, he will not betray you." Iruka responded in confidence. "And to tell the truth, he's a good kid. He'll do everything to convince you otherwise, but I know him."_

"_Seems like you know this kid pretty personally." Kakashi observed, slipping the sheet of paper into his pocket._

"_Yeah. I can vouch for him." Iruka smiled. "Kakashi, you can trust him – I wouldn't be sending you to him unless I was a hundred percent sure you could."_

"_Okay." The silver-haired man nodded. "And I trust you, Iruka."_

…It seemed as though Iruka had left out a few key personality traits when describing the man, but Kakashi supposed it could be worse. As a pervert himself, he couldn't condemn the blonde for his nighttime activities; Sasuke, on the other hand, already seemed determined to reject him.

"We can trust him." He said firmly to his two younger companions. "The hardest part will be getting him to agree."

"Why is that?" Sakura asked, crossing her legs.

Kakashi sighed. "There are very few people who are willing to travel to Byakugan City from here, and those that are willing charge astronomical prices. With what pocket change we have left, let's hope he's up for making a deal."

"As long as it's reasonable." A new voice sounded from the doorway. Sasuke swung around pulling a knife out of the inner pocket in his cloak, only to come face-to-face with the blonde for the second time that night. The raven-haired man's eyes narrowed; he hadn't heard the door open, nor had he heard the blonde come in.

"Ah." Kakashi rose to his feet, quickly shooting Sasuke a warning glance that told him to put his weapon away. "We apologize for earlier. It was a…miscommunication."

"I feel as though we can skip the formalities, since we're already meeting in such an unconventional manner." The blonde chuckled, lifting up a hand. "Why don't we make ourselves comfortable first?"

The blonde took a seat on the floor and the rest of them followed, though Kakashi sat in the front with Sakura and Sasuke behind him. Sasuke glared at the blonde testily, not unaware of the way that Naruto's eyes lingered on Sakura's face before switching back to Kakashi.

_Could this man really be trusted?_

"So." The blonde smiled easily, though his face remained unreadable. "What can I do for you good folks?"

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AlexandriteSky: Well, there's the first chapter! Poor Sasuke doesn't know what he got himself into…please R&R if you enjoyed it! I will continue the story depending on the response I get. Cheers!


	2. Chapter 2

AlexandriteSky: Many thanks to **Eisfuchs, DarkBlackHeart, TKM, **and **Pierniczek** for reviewing! It really motivated me to spit out this next chapter is record (for me) time! I hope you all enjoy this next chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

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Last time:

"_I feel as though we can skip the formalities, since we're already meeting in such an unconventional manner." The blonde chuckled, lifting up a hand. "Why don't we make ourselves comfortable first?"_

_The blonde took a seat on the floor and the rest of them followed, though Kakashi sat in the front with Sakura and Sasuke behind him. Sasuke glared at the blonde testily, not unaware of the way that Naruto's eyes lingered on Sakura's face before switching back to Kakashi._

_Could this man really be trusted?_

"_So." The blonde smiled easily, though his face remained unreadable. "What can I do for you good folks?"_

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"I'll get straight to the point then. We need to get to Byakugan City without taking any of the major routes, no questions asked." Kakashi stated, neatly folding his hands together in his lap.

Naruto's brow rose. "That leaves only the mountain pass; a treacherous path indeed. Doesn't this job fall more under a guide's expertise?"

Behind Kakashi, Sasuke bristled silently at the blonde's apparent lack of understanding of what the phrase 'no questions asked' entailed. It wasn't until he felt a gentle touch on his knee that he unclenched his jaw as Sakura shot him side-long glance warning him to be patient.

The raven-haired man decided to keep his mouth firmly shut and leave the rest of the talking to Kakashi.

"That may be the case…" Kakashi replied sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. "But I was told by a close friend of mine that you were most suitable for our needs."

The blonde frowned. "I wasn't aware I had people advertising my business. What is your friend's name?"

"His name is Iruka." The silver-haired man answered simply. At the mention of the man's name Naruto's eyes widened, and something akin to understanding seemed to light up cerulean orbs. Sasuke observed with interest as the blonde's figure visibly relaxed; though it had not been apparent before, it was now obvious that Naruto had been every bit on guard as the rest of them.

"Ah." The blonde sighed, choosing to abandon his sitting position and instead sprawl on the ground. "That explains a lot more than it doesn't, believe it or not." The kimono that he wore rose slightly, revealing much more of his long slender legs that Sasuke would have preferred. Everything about the blonde irritated him, whether it was his promiscuous personality or his couldn't-care-less attitude.

"Can't you be a little bit more decent?" Sasuke snapped, unable to restrain himself. Kakashi face-palmed in front of him as he secretly wondered whether or not he should have left the raven-haired teen out of this meeting.

If he managed to scare Naruto away, their chances of succeeded would become slim to none.

To the scarecrow's relief, the blonde merely grinned in reply after taking a few seconds to recover from the sudden animosity. "Don't put the blame on _me_ if you can't take your eyes away from me. It's a curse, really." He winked at Sakura, who turned bright crimson but managed to let out a soft chuckle.

Sasuke growled but did not attempt to respond to the blonde's teasing. He knew that he had already overstepped his boundaries and that his quick temper could easily become detrimental to the only chance they had of getting to Byakugan City safely. Though he wanted nothing more than to reject the blonde's entire existence, Sasuke understood that he could not afford to do so at this time.

The only thing that mattered right now was getting Sakura to safety; both his temper and his pride were of little significance.

"I'm going to be straight up with all of you." The blonde began with a yawn. "I don't know if Iruka's made this clear to you, but I'm a jack-of-all-trades; not a guide. That being said, I have navigated the mountain pass before, and I am willing to do so again – that is, if it's worth the reward."

Cerulean eyes sparkled. "If you catch my drift?"

It was as Iruka said. The blonde seemed willing enough, just as Iruka had predicted; however, Kakashi knew that now was the time that would be most crucial in getting Naruto to join them on their quest.

With what little pocket change they had remaining, it would be a miracle for the blonde to even consider taking the deal.

"Here." Kakashi said, throwing a bag of coins on the ground. "We can offer this much now; the rest you will get upon reaching Byakugan City."

He watched as the blonde reached for the bag excitedly, only to frown upon retrieving it while tossing it up and down in his hand.

"Yo…I don't know how to say nicely but…isn't this a little _light_?" the blonde asked, tossing the bag back onto the ground. "You can't seriously want me to risk my life without any proof of compensation?"

"You little…!" Sasuke hissed, rising to his feet. He was stopped by a hand on his shirt that violently jerked him back down, and he turned to see Sakura slowly shaking her head at him.

_Patience_. She mouthed, looking sterner than she had ever had before. Sasuke settled back down, aware of how the blonde's eyes twinkled with amusement as they observed him from across the room. He gritted his teeth with frustration and looked away.

"Were you _that_ disturbed from the sight of me butt-naked?" the blonde asked with a raised brow. "I have to say, I'm a little offended. Weren't _you_ the one who interrupted _me_?"

"Don't mind him, he's just shy." Kakashi cut in neatly, not giving Sasuke the chance to respond.

"Wasn't that shy when he came barging into a brothel room…" Naruto muttered, flashing an innocent grin when Sasuke's glare deepened. "But back to business."

He sat up, his kimono thankfully slipping back into place as he did so.

"What you have here is not enough." He said evenly, scratching behind his head. "You've got to understand – there's a base price I must receive before I'd even consider doing a job like this."

"How much?" Kakashi asked.

"Five times what you have." The blonde answered firmly, holding out his right hand with each finger extended. "I won't take any less."

"We don't have that kind of money at this moment, Mister Uzumaki." Sakura spoke, coming forward. "Isn't there anything else you would take?"

Sasuke silently fumed behind her, hating to see his friend demean herself for someone so far below her status. He knew that Sakura had abandoned her title upon fleeing the city and had quickly adapted to civilian mannerisms and thinking, but he would never forgive the fact that she should have never had to do so in the first place.

As someone who had been at her side since they were children, it was painful for Sasuke to have to see people to speak to her as if she were just another normal girl.

"Just Naruto is fine." The blonde corrected gently. "But I'm afraid that there's nothing else I need. I'm sorry, but I'll have to pass."

"What about this?" Sakura asked, pulling out her necklace that usually remained tucked away underneath her clothes. It was a beautiful pendent set in solid gold, with a variety of precious stones that sparkled beautiful even under the dim light. At the very center was a triangular cut diamond, and one look was enough to tell that the necklace was forth a small fortune in itself.

Both Sasuke and Kakashi glanced at each other before looking back to the blonde. The necklace had belonged to Sakura's mother and remained as the last token Sakura had to remember her parents by. They had no doubt that Sakura was hurting as she defiantly held up the necklace, but both men knew they had no right to speak.

This was Sakura's decision.

The blonde drew a bit closer, cerulean eyes bright with curiosity as he looked over the valuable trinket. His eyes narrowed only moments after and he scooted back, looking a bit miffed.

"A word of caution: you should keep that pendant carefully hidden away, miss." He spoke. "I'm sorry, but I'm still going to have to say no."

"What-" Kakashi began, only to have the blonde stand up.

"It was nice meeting you folks." Naruto dipped his head, though his tone was resolute. "I wish you all the luck in the world on your journey, and I'm sorry I couldn't be more of a help."

Before any more words could be uttered the blonde had already left the room, the sound of the screen door closing signifying his exit. The three occupants left behind fell into silence, the atmosphere in the room heavy as Sakura wordlessly tucked her necklace back into its place.

"Don't worry." Kakashi spoke, though his face looked wary. "We still have time. For now, we'll go back to the inn and rest; tomorrow morning, I will go find us another guide."

With that said, the three wordlessly left the brothel, Sasuke's fingers tickling the hilt of his blade as they itched to strike somebody down. Though he was glad there would be no future interactions with the blonde, he still couldn't shake off the feeling of extreme irritation that bubbled within him. Everything about the blonde had annoyed him to no end, from his apathetic nature to his indecent actions.

Again and again, his mind wandered to the moment they had first met, and Sasuke was glad the darkness of night was there to hide his discomfort.

At his side, Sasuke heard Sakura sharply inhale, and he instantly became alert. He searched his surroundings for what could have troubled his friend and found it to be a wanted poster stuck to a bulletin board next to a shop, and it didn't take long to find the source of her apprehension.

It was a wanted poster offering a large reward for her head.

Luckily, the picture provided was from many years ago, and it was almost impossible to identify Sakura from the poster besides her flashy hair color and emerald eyes. They had seen this poster many times before, but it was unsettling every time; it was proof that Madara was still toying with them and intended to keep his promise after three years were up. A small glint caught the corner of Sasuke's eyes, however, and he felt a chill run through him as his gaze focused around the younger Sakura's neck, locking onto a detail he had never noticed before.

_You should keep that pendant carefully hidden away_.

It couldn't be…Sasuke thought as they walked away, Sakura gripping his arm tightly.

There was no way the blonde could have known.

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_Knock._

_Knock knock knock._

Iruka shot up at the sound of somebody banging at his door, his sleep-clouded mind unable to process what was going on. It was pitch dark outside, signifying that it was probably sometime after midnight – much too late for a casual visitor from a friend.

Grabbing the knife from his bedside, Iruka slowly crept towards the door, his heart pounding at the sight of shadows flickering outside of the front window.

_Who could it possibly be…?_

"Iruka!" a familiar voice called impatiently, followed by more knocking. "Open this door, goddamit! I have a bone to pick with you!"

_Ah_. Iruka relaxed, setting the knife down on his dining table. _Of course_.

He opened the door to reveal an irritated looking blonde, who pushed past him carelessly as if he was entering his own home.

"I can't believe you." Naruto stated, wringing his hands in the air. "Of all people, you send me a _princess_!?"

"So you knew." Iruka replied, closing the door.

"Am I an idiot?" the blonde retorted, sitting down at the kitchen table with a loud sigh. He grabbed at a piece of bread that was still sitting in the middle of the table and began to bite into it furiously.

"Sometimes." The brown-haired man answered, despite knowing the question had been completely rhetorical.

"A princess." Naruto continued, ignoring the older man's jab. "A bloody _princess_. You're trying to get me mixed up in something way over my head!"

"It was a favor to a good friend." Iruka frowned, taking a seat across from the volatile blonde. "They can't trust anybody else, Naruto. You know that every single guide in this city would be more than willing to turn them in."

Naruto grabbed at his throat, choking slightly after eating too quickly. Iruka rose and got him a glass of water, which he downed in one gulp before slamming the cup back down.

"And you think I won't?" he asked once he could speak clearly again. "In case you've forgotten, I'm _always _in dire need of cash, Iruka."

"If you do, I will never speak to you again. I mean it, Naruto." Iruka warned dangerously.

"…" Naruto remained silent, but his face appeared a bit sheepish.

"Besides, as I always tell you; if you're so low on cash, why not stop spending what you have at the brothels every night?" the brown-haired man continued, his tone taking on a more parental manner. "Your habit is expensive, Naruto; not to mention unhealthy."

"Oh piss off." The blonde mumbled, looking to the side. "I like having sex. Sue me."

Iruka sighed, knowing that the blonde's night-time activities were out of his control. "I just worry about you, Naruto." He stated, going to his room to get the blonde a blanket. "You know that."

"If you were really that worried about me you wouldn't have sent me an exiled princess as a client!" Naruto countered, though he gratefully accepted the offering and wrapped it around himself. The nights were getting colder as winter approached; pretty soon it would be first snow, which would blanket the mountain peaks and make travel impossible.

"You really won't consider it?" Iruka asked almost pleadingly. The brown-haired man remembered the desperation on Kakashi's face from earlier; though he knew it would be putting the blonde at risk, Iruka had wanted to help his friend no matter what.

"That's not the only problem." The blonde explained a bit warily, looking a little guilty that he had upset the older man. "They're broke, Iruka. They only had about 100 wons to pay; I rescue cats from trees for that kind of pocket change!"

_That explained a lot_. Iruka thought as the blonde continued to ramble on. His confidence that the blonde would agree to Kakashi's request had not been unfounded; knowing Naruto, Iruka had no doubt that he would have discovered Sakura's identity within their very first meeting. However, it was not in the blonde's nature to involve himself in somebody else's business.

He needed an excuse to do so, and that excuse would have to be money.

"Naruto…what if I paid the base amount?" he spoke up, interrupting the blonde in the middle of his rant. "Would that do?"

"Eh?" the blonde replied dumbly.

"It's obvious that you'll be handsomely compensated once you get the Byakugan City." Iruka explained evenly. "They probably didn't want to say too much without giving themselves away, but her uncle would no doubt be overjoyed by the arrival of his only surviving family from the Tanto massacre. If it's the base amount that you're concerned about, I would be more than happy to cover for them."

"…I'm not taking money from you, 'Ruka." Naruto mumbled, his mouth full. "Don't insult me."

"See it as a favor, then." Iruka implored. "Please, Naruto?"

"…" the blonde continued eating, though Iruka noticed that his pace had slowed.

"…"

"….."

"…."

"Gaaaaaaahh!" the blonde exclaimed at last, throwing the piece of bread he was holding onto the table. "No fair." He pouted, crossing his arms. "I can't turn down a request from you."

Relief washed over the brown-haired man and he smiled widely, ruffling the younger man's hair. "Thank you, Naruto." He said gently, laughing when the blonde turned away from him with a sniff.

"I can't believe I'm doing this." The blonde grumbled, looking cross. "A warning next time would be nice, Iruka. Something like: 'Oh hey I'm sending a princess your way, and they're going to come barging in on you while you're having sex. Cheers!'"

Iruka only laughed harder, imagining how awkward that situation must have been. Something the blonde said struck him, however, and he turned to Naruto with a troubled look.

"But I did give you a warning." He stated, his brows furrowing. "Didn't you see the note I left you in your office explaining the entire situation?"

"Note?" Naruto asked distractedly. "What note?"

"I left it on your table." The brown-haired man stated. "Maybe you didn't see it?"

"There was nothing on my desk when I got back from lunch." The blonde replied. "The window was open, though; that was kind of weird…"

The two men glanced at each other with horror, understanding suddenly dawning upon them like a flash of lightning.

"Shit." The blonde cursed, tossing away the blanket and grabbing his coat which he had left hanging by the front door. "What inn did your friend say they were staying at!?"

"Phoenix." Iruka replied, his face ashen pale. "Naruto-"

"Don't worry, 'Ruka." The blonde said reassuringly, though his face was grim. "I'll go make sure they're okay."

Iruka nodded and watched the blonde run out the door, his hands shaking slightly.

_Please be okay._

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AlexandriteSky: Of course, Naruto could never turn down a request from Iruka! But Iruka has unintentionally put Kakashi and the gang in danger…Please R&R and let me know what you think!


	3. Chapter 3

AlexandriteSky: Merry Christmas everybody! This chapter is shorter than most, but I thought that it would be a nice day to update. Enjoy!

**Many thanks to:**

**Xdevil-childx, Seochan, ovicati, Pierniczek, Eien-chan, Maxie, and anonymouslyME** for reviewing!

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Sasuke couldn't relax.

Ever since leaving the brothel and seeing Sakura's wanted poster, the raven-haired man had been struck by a horrible premonition and unable to calm his humming nerves; now he sat against the wall polishing his blade as Sakura and Kakashi slept peacefully to his side.

The moon peeked through the window, casting its gentle glow over him as he methodically wiped up and down his sword. Daylight could not come soon enough; Sasuke wanted nothing more than to leave this small town as soon as they possibly could.

Quiet cities like this one worried him the most.

For the past three years Sakura and he had remained in hiding, being careful not to stay in one location too long. Always, they chose the busiest cities possible, slipping into anonymity by blending into faceless crowds and using other people's existences to shield their own. In the mean time they trained, with Sasuke practicing his swordsmanship while Sakura visited the city archives in hopes of expanding her knowledge.

Only once had they dared to step into a small city like this one, and the visit ended with them on the run from several bounty hunters that had happened to cross paths with them on the main street. So far they had managed to remain unnoticed by keeping Sakura indoors during daylight. Only when shrouded by darkness was the princess able to go out to exercise her muscles, Sasuke ever alert at her side.

The raven-haired man knew he needed to get some sleep. It would be only a few more hours until sunrise, and he needed all of the rest he could get so that he could function at his optimum the next day. If they managed to find a guide, they would be leaving the city, and it would be up to Sasuke to ensure their safe arrival at Byakugan City.

His grip tightened on the hilt of his sword.

After the deaths of his parents, Sakura's parents had taken both Itachi and him in as a favor to their deceased parents, treating them like part of the family despite them being of low birth. From that point on Sasuke had been at Sakura's side and they had become fast friends, partly because of their similarity in age and mostly because of Sakura's persistence.

"_Hi." She said, holding out a tiny hand that barely looked like it would fit in Sasuke's palm. "Let's be friends!"_

Now she was like a younger sister to him, and Sasuke swore that she would never have to experience anything so painful ever again.

A home, family, and friends…after losing all of these things, it had seemed almost surreal when they were easily handed back to him once the Haruno family had placed them under their care. The warmth that Sasuke had thought would be gone forever once again enveloped him, healing his grief with its gentle touch.

It only hurt more to know that once again, his precious things had been stolen away – only this time by his own brother.

Sasuke didn't know how Sakura could stop herself from cursing the day that her parents had brought the two of them home. He would have understood perfectly if she had told him that she never wanted to see him again; just looking at himself in the mirror was sometimes too much, and he would force himself to look away before his hatred overwhelmed him.

He looked forward to the day he would once again come face-to-face with Itachi – next time, however, he wouldn't be helpless.

Itachi would suffer just as he had made Sakura suffer.

Sasuke would make sure of it.

A slight creak startled him from his thoughts, and Sasuke reflexively jumped to his feet as he looked around the room for the source. His actions woke the other two occupants in the room, and Sakura peered at him sleepily through half-open eyes.

"Sasuke?" she asked with a yawn.

After scanning the room one more time, Sasuke allowed himself to drop his guard. The sound most likely came from other guests staying in the inn; because of its cheap price, the walls were thin and the flooring was made from old wood, causing loud groans whenever there was movement nearby.

"Nothing." He reassured. "Go back to sleep."

"Mmmm." Sakura sighed, rolling onto her side. Kakashi did the same, though his visible eye remained cautious.

Sasuke settled back down next to the pink haired girl, his eyes dark. A sweet scent wafted into the room, causing his nose to twitch with discomfort as he looked around for the source. It smelled like a combination of sugar with something floral, and it made him want to gag.

_Just what was that…_?

Too late did his eyes land on a shadow outside of their door that had been absent previously. The dark haired man once again lurched to his feet, alarms shrilling loudly in his head as he drew his sword.

"Get up!" he roared, rousing his drowsy companions. "We have to get out _now_!"

"Sasuke, wha-" Sakura began before her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she dropped onto her mattress with a heavy thud. Kakashi immediately rushed to her side, barely managing to touch her shoulder before he too collapsed onto the floor.

"Fuck." Sasuke cursed as the drug began to affect him as well. Suddenly his body seemed too heavy to move, and no matter how desperately he willed his limbs to move, it was as if his entire body had fallen asleep.

_Sleeping gas_. He thought before finally succumbing.

_How could I have let this happen?_

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"Yo Naruto. Strange seeing you here." The inn keeper yawned widely. "What can I do for you today?"

"I'm looking for some people." Naruto replied, emptying a few copper colored coins onto the table. "There's a guy who looks like a scarecrow accompanying two peeps around my age, and I'm willing to bet they only paid for one night. Care to tell me which room they're staying in?"

The inn keeper greedily snatched the coins and counted them with beady eyes, his tongue slightly hanging out of his mouth as he placed them into his pocket.

"Yeah. They're here." He grinned, rubbing his chin. "Fellas checked in this morning."

"And?" Naruto encouraged, prompting him to answer the original question.

The man surveyed him for a moment before holding out his hand. "You know that I'm not supposed to give away private information like that, Naruto. It's going to cost you extra."

"Whoah." The blonde snapped, pinning the man down with a cold glare. "Don't tell me you've already forgotten about the time I took care of those loan sharks that were hounding your wife, Minato? If I recall correctly, I even cut you some slack at the time and only accepted about three quarters of the agreed payment – am I wrong?"

The man paled and instantly retracted his hand. "Ah yes, yes." He smiled sheepishly. "I think I do remember something like that happening."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Stingy bastard."

"Yes, yes." The inn keeper sighed, flipping through a folder in front of him. "Let me see….ah yes. Room 116. Need me to take you there?"

"I can read numbers just fine, thanks." The blonde replied, turning to leave.

"Hey, drop by my place again whenever you have the time!" the man called after him. "I've got a roof that needs fixing."

"Do it yourself, you lazy bastard!" Naruto replied over his shoulder. The grumblings of the inn keeper faded as he strode down the hallway, his steps growing lighter as he grew closer and closer to the room in question. Finally he arrived in front of the door, and before even entering Naruto knew he was too late.

Though it seemed like it was closed, Naruto could see that the lock had been tampered with. With one push it easily swung open, and Naruto's eyes widened as the remnants of a sweet scent floated towards him. He rushed backwards and covered his nose with his jacket, already knowing the fate of the trio that had previously occupied the room.

_Sleeping weed_. His nose scrunched with distaste. _A classic move_.

After deeming it safe once the left over drug dissipated into the hallway, the blonde cautiously entered the room. Everything was left untouched; it was almost as if nothing as out of place, if you excluded the missing inhabitants.

The culprits were unmistakably the ones who had stolen the note from his desk earlier. The fact that they hadn't even bothered to look through their victim's bags showed their overwhelming confidence in the reward that they would receive simply by turning them in. They obviously had wasted no time in getting what they came for.

Whoever the kidnappers were knew exactly _whom_ they were kidnapping.

Naruto knew he didn't have much time.

He would only have one night at best to find out where the culprits had escaped too. Naruto had no doubt that they would wait until daylight to leave for Tonto, for not many men were brave enough to travel during the night. That gave him about five hours maximum to locate the trio and somehow free them from their captors.

Naruto groaned. This was why he generally avoided troublesome jobs like these.

Iruka owed him one big time.

The blonde quickly grabbed a shirt from the ground and stuffed it into his pocket before turning to leave. A glint caught the corner of his eye and his eyes landed on a sword that had been dropped onto the ground, apparently abandoned when its owner was taken away.

Naruto shook his head. The culprits were sloppy; even with one glance Naruto could tell that it was a truly magnificent sword that had been treated only with utmost care. Selling it would earn him a pretty penny.

However…

Angry onyx eyes popped into his head, and the blonde grinned slightly as he remembered the irritated raven-haired man from earlier. Though it was his policy to never mix his job with pleasure, it was impossible to deny the man's attractiveness; not to mention he was exactly Naruto's type.

The blonde grabbed the sword as he made his exit and left it on his belt.

He wouldn't mind seeing the raven-haired in action. The very thought excited him.

"Did ya find what you were looking for?" the inn keeper asked him curiously on his way out.

"Yeah, thanks." The blonde shrugged. "By the way, I'm going to be out of town for a while because of a job. Think you can spread the word around?"

"As long as you fix my roof when you get back." The inn keeper sniffed.

Naruto laughed. "You're going to have a hell of a time explaining that to your wife. Lazy prick."

He waved goodbye before exiting, his face slipping into a grim expression the moment his back was turned. Now was not the time to be exchanging pleasantries – he had given Iruka his word that the trio would be okay.

For some reason, he doubted that Iruka would consider being kidnapped and shipped back to Tanto city "okay".

Pulling out a whistle from around his neck, Naruto blew into it three times though no audible sound was produced. The whistle had another purpose, however, and it was not meant to be heard by human ears. Moments later the bushes nearby rustled, and Naruto turned to face a beautiful orange fox running towards him at full speed.

"Hey, Kyuu." Naruto spoke affectionately, kneeling down and scratching behind the fox's ears. "Sorry boy, I know I'm interrupting your hunting time, but I need you to do me a favor."

He extracted the shirt he had pilfered earlier and held it out for the fox to smell.

"Can you find me where the owner of this? I'll give you a nice juicy steak later, I promise."

The fox stared at him with boredom and Naruto sighed.

_Why was everybody trying to make things so difficult for him today? For goodness sake, even a __**fox**__ was trying strike a deal with him_.

"Two steaks?"

The fox yawned widely.

"Fine." Naruto said begrudgingly. "Two steaks and a long rub down. That's my final offer."

The fox yipped happily in reply, circling around him a few times before running off. Naruto followed closely behind, making sure not to lose the fox as they flew down numerous streets. The blonde began to feel a bit nervous as the fox led him away from the comforting torches that lit the streets at night, instead romping towards the dark part of the city that was generally inhabited by the most unfriendly sort of people.

The last time he had entered these parts hadn't ended well.

At least, not on his part.

Things were slowly slipping into place. The stolen note was not just caused by Iruka's carelessness but also by someone else's grudge, and Naruto had a sinking feeling that he knew exactly who it was.

"No need to bring me any further, Kyuu." The blonde sighed dejectedly, panting slightly as he petted the fox's head in thanks. "I know exactly where to go from here."

It seemed that Zabuza was trying to pick a fight with him while making a handsome profit at the same time. Naruto didn't blame him – the last time they had met, he had barely escaped with his life while Zabuza's partner, Haku, had lost his.

He groaned out loud.

_So in the end, I brought this on myself_. He thought to himself miserably. _Iruka will feel better after hearing that_.

The blonde approached a familiar warehouse-looking building towards the end of the street, his face one of absolute gloom as he crept around its outer walls.

_What a fucking pain in the ass._

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AlexandriteSky: Haha, Naruto's having such a bad day! I can't resist writing in Kyuubi, however; I feel like these two will be partners in every story I write. Thank you so much for reading, and please remember to review! It motivates me to update much faster!


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